Daily Archives: 1 Nov 2018

APU purchased five thought-to-be original Dead Sea Scroll fragments in 2009. Their authenticity came under question last Tuesday after the Museum of the Bible announced that five of its fragments are forgeries. » bit.ly/2ETKnry

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When once the light of Divine Providence has illumined the believer’s soul, he is relieved and set free, not only from the extreme fear and anxiety which formerly oppressed him, but from all care. For as he justly shudders at the idea of chance, so he can confidently commit himself to God.

This, I say, is his comfort, that his heavenly Father so embraces all things under his power—so governs them at will by his nod—so regulates them by his wisdom, that nothing takes place save according to his appointment; that received into his favour, and entrusted to the care of his angels neither fire, nor water, nor sword, can do him harm, except in so far as God their master is pleased to permit.

For thus sings the Psalm, “Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust; his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday” &c. (Ps. 91:2–6).

Hence the exulting confidence of the saints, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The Lord taketh my part with them that help me.” “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear.” “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Ps. 118:6; 27:3; 23:4). — John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

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Circumcise your heart then and be obstinate no longer; for Yahweh your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, triumphant and terrible, free of favouritism, never to be bribed. He it is who sees justice done for the orphan and the widow, who loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing. (Love the stranger then, for you were once strangers in Egypt.) (Deut. 10:16-19)

The four-page document, titled “Biblical Basis for War” was originally reported by the Spokesman-Review. It’s a radical Christian call to arms, outlining 14 steps for seizing power and what to do afterward in explicit detail. It calls for an end to abortions, an end to same-sex marriage, and if enemies do not yield and everyone obey biblical law, all males will be killed.

We reached out to Shea multiple times to ask him about this manifesto, contacting him on Facebook, calling his legislative offices in both Olympia and Spokane Valley, as well as his Spokane Valley law firm.

He has not returned our calls, but his legislative aid did say our message was being passed along to Rep. Shea. He did however post a video on Facebook earlier this month. In it, Shea admits to distributing the document, but calls it a summary of a series of sermons in the Old Testament, or “just a war theory” philosophy.

The manifesto was only given to a few people close to Shea, and was made public by Tanner Rowe. Rowe was hired in 2016 by Shea’s security team for the Republican Gala on election night. The manifesto was given to him by a friend, and former long-time member of Shea’s inner circle.

The document has also captured the attention of Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, who says he immediately alerted the FBI saying he felt the author, Shea, was dangerous.

We reached out to the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force about the manifesto. They tell us they are actively reviewing the manifesto for investigative leads.

Among Walter Kanzler’s offerings were World War II Christmas ornaments that featured swastikas, which were for sale on the same day that an anti-Semitic gunman killed 11 at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The Klansman’s robe was for sale not far from the Louisville-area Kroger where two black shoppers were killed in what appears to be a racist attack.

The Courier Journal showed the Kentucky State Fair Board photos of the memorabilia, which is now eyeing a ban on Nazi memorabilia. “The most upsetting part is what the meaning of these symbols have and to allow those to be sold on Kentucky Venues property when I’m chairman of the board, I really find that offensive to myself as well, it’s just not right,” said the board’s chairman Dr. Mark Lynn said. Reached for comment, Walter Kanzler said there’s “no political agenda” and that it represented an “interest in history.”

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A law against pretending to practise witchcraft will soon be repealed in Canada. But that hasn’t stopped local police from prosecuting those who use the “dark arts” to bilk people for thousands of dollars.

Two Canadian women have been charged with pretending to practise witchcraft, breaking a little-known law in Canada’s criminal code that could soon be out the door.

The first charge was levied against Dorie “Madeena” Stevenson, a fortune teller from Milton, Ontario on 18 October after a months-long investigation.

She is accused of defrauding a client of C$60,000 ($45,700; £35,700) in cash and property.

A week later, Toronto psychic Samantha Stevenson was also arrested in a similar but unrelated investigation.

Police allege she convinced a man the only way to get rid of “evil spirits” in his home would be to sell it, and transfer the proceeds into her account.

The accused often advertise themselves as a psychic or religious healer, and demand large sums of money to help remove curses or evil spirits from clients, police say.

“What we typically see is a tendency for perpetrators to take advantage of persons when they are in their most vulnerable state,” wrote Det Sgt Dave Costantini of Halton Regional Police, in a press release.

I guess ‘witch’ equals con artist.

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People who ramble on about how important ‘storytelling’ is for Christians aren’t very astute readers of the New Testament. The poor souls completely ignore the fact that Jesus’ parables were meaningless and enigmatic to the crowds and had to be explained to the disciples.

And he told them many things in parables. He said, ‘Listen, a sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up at once, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Anyone who has ears should listen!’

Then the disciples went up to him and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’

In answer, he said, ‘Because to you is granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not granted. Anyone who has will be given more and will have more than enough; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah is being fulfilled: Listen and listen, but never understand! Look and look, but never perceive!

This people’s heart has grown coarse, their ears dulled, they have shut their eyes tight to avoid using their eyes to see, their ears to hear, their heart to understand, changing their ways and being healed by me. ‘But blessed are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! In truth I tell you, many prophets and upright people longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it. (Matt. 13:3-17)

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Calvin’s friend Nicolas Cop had been elected rector of the University of Paris, and was to deliver his inaugural oration on All Saints’ day, November 1, 1533. At his request Calvin prepared his oration. This oration was at once an attack on the scholastic theologians of the day as sophists and obscurantists, and a plea for a reformation on a New Testament basis. Both the Sorbonne and the Parliament regarded this academic oration as an attack on the church. In consequence both Cop and Calvin were forced to flee. Calvin is said to have escaped in the garb of a vine-dresser with a hoe on his shoulder, after having been let down from a window by the use of sheets.*